‘Sesame Street’ begins its 23rd year with a few introductions of new faces

Happy Birthday, Sesame Street! The 23rd season of the venerable children’s series begins this week, with lots of familiar faces plus a few new ones. Tap dance whiz Savion Glover, 17, will perform on the show. And kids will meet puppets Roxy Marie from Canarsie; Rosita, a Latino monster; Chicago, a vegetarian lion, and more.

Celebrity guests who will appear throughout the season include Isiah Thomas, Gloria Estefan, Gregory Hines, En Vogue and Blair Brown, who visits this week.

As for “Sesame’s” educational focus, the show will continue its lessons on race relations and look at Native American cultures--including some on-location footage of a Crow Indian reservation in Montana.

“Sesame Street,” Monday TIME TK KCET. For 2- to 5-year-olds.

MORE KIDS’ SHOWS

The theatrical film White Fang (Sunday 7-9 p.m. Disney Channel), about a young adventurer and his half-dog, half-wolf companion, makes its world television premiere. For all ages.

In an animated version of Black Beauty (today 2-3 p.m. Nickelodeon), a girl named Polly goes off on an adventure to save her kidnaped horse. For 2- to 11-year-olds.

In the animated adventure The Prisoner of Zenda (today 3-4 p.m. Nickelodeon), a long-lost relative finds he must step in for a king. For 6- to 11-year-olds.

Grammy-winning singer Luther Vandross joins the cast of “Eureeka’s Castle” for the special Don’t Touch That Box (today 6:30-7 p.m., Tuesday 8-8:30 p.m. and Saturday 5:30-6 p.m. Nickelodeon), in which Batly, Magellan and the Moat Twins learn a lesson about curiosity when they can’t resist playing with a magic box that belongs to the Grand Wizard (Vandross). For 2- to 6-year-olds.

Whistle a happy ‘toon and check out the 1988 animated/live action film that’s already a classic, Who Framed Roger Rabbit (Tuesday 8:45-11 p.m. CBS). For all ages.

An F. Scott Fitzgerald story is re-enacted in Bernice Bobs Her Hair (Wednesday 6-6:45 p.m. Showtime), in which a flirtatious cousin teaches her socially backward cousin how to be popular--and then gets jealous when the plan works. For all ages.

The rich-and-famous Robin Leach provides narration for the premiere of HBO Storybook Musicals: The Prince’s Rain (Wednesday 6:30-7 p.m. HBO), a musical tale based on the nursery rhyme “Rain, Rain, Go Away.” Joe Piscopo speaks as the Prince. For all ages.

The first of four new National Geographic Specials designed for teachers to tape and use in the classroom is “Hawaii: Strangers in Paradise” (Wednesday 7-8 p.m. KVCR; 8-9 p.m. KCET, KPBS), which explores the delicate, endangered ecosystem of our 50th state. For ages 6 and up.

The award-winning 1982 fantasy Snowman (Thursday 5-5:30 p.m. Showtime) tells the tale of a boy whose snowman comes alive. For all ages.

HBO Storybook Musicals: Ira Sleeps Over (Friday 6-6:30 a.m. HBO) is based on the Bernard Waber story about a little boy’s first overnight away from home. For all ages.

A special edition of Newton’s Apple (Saturday 8:30-9 a.m. KCET) tracks the discovery of dinosaur bones in Wyoming over 20 years--from its initial dig-up to its reconstruction in the Science Museum of Minnesota--where the completed skeleton now stands over 2 stories tall and 80 feet long! For all ages.

The Making of Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ (Saturday 5:30-6 p.m. Disney Channel) is a sneak peek behind the scenes of the new animated film. David Ogden Stiers, who supplies one of the voices in the film, serves as narrator. For all ages.